Jeff Bagwell vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Jeff Bagwell and Rafael Palmeiro are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jeff Bagwell played 1991–2005 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Jeff Bagwell (1991–2005) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — they debuted in the 1990s and the 1980s respectively and share 15 seasons. Jeff Bagwell finished with 2,314 hits and 449 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Who hit more home runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS? Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jeff Bagwell, with .297 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Jeff Bagwell's 1,529.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jeff Bagwell, with 47,120 career PIV to Rafael Palmeiro's 42,814.
Jeff Bagwell
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jeff Bagwell and Rafael Palmeiro. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Bagwell | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,150 | 2,831 |
| At-Bats not scored | 7,797 | 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,517 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 2,314 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 488 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | 32 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | 449 | Leads: 569 |
| RBI | 1,529 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,401 | 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,558 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 202 | 97 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .408 | .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .540 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: .948 | .885 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jeff Bagwell leads Rafael Palmeiro 47,120 to 42,814 — driven by per-season impact — 3,141 PIV per season to 2,141 — rather than by longevity, since Jeff Bagwell played 15 seasons to Rafael Palmeiro's 20. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Jeff Bagwell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Jeff Bagwell and Rafael Palmeiro split the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card 6-6. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Jeff Bagwell higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jeff Bagwell and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
From 1991 through 2005, Jeff Bagwell and Rafael Palmeiro were in the majors together. With 2,150 games against 2,831 across 15 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Jeff Bagwell struck out more than walked (1,558 to 1,401), while Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Jeff Bagwell was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Jeff Bagwell holds the edge, .408 to .371. On the peak-season lists, Jeff Bagwell's best year is 1994 at 1.201 OPS and Rafael Palmeiro's is 1999 at 1.050 OPS; Jeff Bagwell has the stronger single season.
Jeff Bagwell vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Bagwell or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 12 scored categories 6–6.
- Did Jeff Bagwell or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 569 to Jeff Bagwell's 449.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Jeff Bagwell, with .948 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jeff Bagwell, with .297 to Rafael Palmeiro's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Jeff Bagwell's 2,314.